Express your answer as a mixed number simplified to lowest terms. $18\dfrac{8}{18}-12\dfrac{5}{6} = {?}$
Simplify each fraction. $= {18\dfrac{4}{9}} - {12\dfrac{5}{6}}$ Find a common denominator for the fractions: $= {18\dfrac{8}{18}}-{12\dfrac{15}{18}}$ Convert ${18\dfrac{8}{18}}$ to ${17 + \dfrac{18}{18} + \dfrac{8}{18}}$ So the problem becomes: ${17\dfrac{26}{18}}-{12\dfrac{15}{18}}$ Separate the whole numbers from the fractional parts: $= {17} + {\dfrac{26}{18}} - {12} - {\dfrac{15}{18}}$ Bring the whole numbers together and the fractions together: $= {17} - {12} + {\dfrac{26}{18}} - {\dfrac{15}{18}}$ Subtract the whole numbers: $=5 + {\dfrac{26}{18}} - {\dfrac{15}{18}}$ Subtract the fractions: $= 5+\dfrac{11}{18}$ Combine the whole and fractional parts into a mixed number: $= 5\dfrac{11}{18}$